Can not get a single forward - need some feedback please

[djrmusic]

Hello fellow Taxi members,

I've been a Taxi member for about a year and a half. I have not had any forwards. I know this is normal but it's not any less frustrating. I listen to the feedback from the screeners and I try to take the feedback and learn from them. Recently I got 2 returns for the same listing and I'm not sure what to do from the feedback.

Here's the listing

POSITIVE INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed for TV COMMERCIALS by a High-End Music Library with countless credits in Feature Films, TV Shows, and Commercials.

NOTE: We recently ran this request as TAXI Listing #Y191212FR. The client LOVED what we sent them, but they didn’t get enough material, so they asked us to run this request again to see if we could find them even more. If you submitted to #Y191212FR, please submit different material this time around!

They’re looking for Instrumental Cues in All Tempos that would fall within the stylistic wheelhouse of the references we got from our client:

Positive Ad-Friendly Examples (Dropbox playlist)

Please submit well-composed Instrumental Cues that have an "advertisement-friendly” sound and vibe. Your productions should be driven by organic-based instrumentation and should have some development as they progress.

The key elements that make this Music Library happy are:

Cues can have a Positive mood (they can be “warm” and/or “motivational”, but ALWAYS positive).
Cues MUST have good edit points.
Cues must be Library "friendly" (i.e. - a clear theme right from the start. Proper mood and pacing).
Instrumental Cues can have an ABAB structure, but certainly don't need to (check out the referenced examples).
Prominent leads/solos are not needed. Each theme/motif should be found more in the arrangement/chord progressions (again, listen to the examples).
High-quality compositions, tones, and performances are all required.
All submissions should be approximately 2 minutes long, give or take. Non-Faded, Buttoned endings are preferred. Broadcast Quality is needed.


Here's the first song I submitted called Feeling Good Today

https://soundcloud.com/djrscores/feeling-good-today

Here's the feedback

Good positive and uplifting vibe. Better production sounds / overall mix is needed. Better production / sounds / mix needed. Melody could be stronger. Could have a better developmental "arc".

Here's the second song I submitted called Jumping for Joy

https://soundcloud.com/djrscores/jumping-for-joy

Here's the feedback

Fun driving uptempo track. Very positive and feeling good vibe. I like the bass line. Consider some new drum / string sounds which are more contemporary sounding. some of your elements are coming across too dated/midi and stiff to be as competitive as needed

I'm appreciative of the positive comments that the screener had. I have up-to-date samples and I know how to use them and change articulation and velocities, ect, and I think my mix is good. I just don't know what else to do.

Thanks for taking the time to listen and read this very long post. I really do appreciate any suggestions you'd be willing to give.

Dave

[cassmcentee]

Just listened to the first 20 seconds of each tune, my thoughts:
Positives
I think you are doing really well with the structure aspect! (I always struggle)
I think you completely understand moods and deliver on that!
Negatives
Within the first 3 seconds the Midi-ness of things took me out
That might pass with a low-level library that supplies music to Industry Videos
Will almost never pass with a High-bar library where you have others with better talent at making midi sound real
For example, the strings in the first tune sounded midi/synthy the second they came in
The 2nd tune has a Dead Space each time the piano phrase stops that screams Midi
As far as melody... to my ears... these melodies aren't mature, they need to be "performed" as opposed to "Copy and Paste" Midi
They have all the right ideas yet don't advance my ears to a building melodic feel... (I struggle also)
As far as the Mix, my ears said 80's/90's Industrial/Corporate Video
That was the time of early midi involvement.
I'll stop here...

Keep an eye open for the Forwards Blog to hear examples of what went to the Library
That will give you a great amount of information for moving ahead.
Cheers

[ttully]

Hey Dave,

I know how frustrating it can be!!!
I took me quite a long time before I got any forwards..it may have taken several hundred tries to get my first forward.....and I still get tracks rejected today.

I too submitted a track I did about 20 years ago that was forwarded back then for a TV commercial.... I just found it again and thought I would submit it again to this listing.....
The screener said the track and the sounds were dated!!!...go figure.... ha!!!

These tracks are for a HIGH END library.... that tells you the need to be GREAT...not just good.

There are problems with your tracks... first off and mainly...THEY DO NOT SOUND LIKE CURRENT TV COMMERCIALS...the overall vibe of the tracks is dated.
The string samples definitely sound dated..they sound like a string synthesizer from the 70's especially at :37 on the first track.... and at :21 on the second track.

Listen to the dropbox examples very closely.... I know they are all different..but listen how polished they sound... how much reverb they have...the sounds they are using.
You will notice..they are all PERFECT.
You have got to just keep trying to get better.

My 3.5 cents worth,
Tim

[RamitaArora]

Hi there!! I feel you, it can be super frustrating. I am still learning myself but here are a couple of things I picked up being around here and listening:

Your tracks sound like they are getting there! Michael routinely says shortest intro possible or no intro. Your intro sounds a bit sad for a positive instrumental, even if it picks up after.

The strings in your tracks are written well but they sound kind of fake. What I like to do is cut back on some of the reverb, layer a solo string line (exact same line) along with the orchestral string line. It makes it sound so much more real.

And in general, I agree with the others about the midi-sound. Try to play out each part as if you are the player, even though you are using a controller.

Hope this helps

[djrmusic]

Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate it!

Just listened to the first 20 seconds of each tune, my thoughts:
Positives
I think you are doing really well with the structure aspect! (I always struggle)
I think you completely understand moods and deliver on that!
Negatives
Within the first 3 seconds the Midi-ness of things took me out
That might pass with a low-level library that supplies music to Industry Videos
Will almost never pass with a High-bar library where you have others with better talent at making midi sound real
For example, the strings in the first tune sounded midi/synthy the second they came in
The 2nd tune has a Dead Space each time the piano phrase stops that screams Midi
As far as melody... to my ears... these melodies aren't mature, they need to be "performed" as opposed to "Copy and Paste" Midi
They have all the right ideas yet don't advance my ears to a building melodic feel... (I struggle also)
As far as the Mix, my ears said 80's/90's Industrial/Corporate Video
That was the time of early midi involvement.
I'll stop here...

Keep an eye open for the Forwards Blog to hear examples of what went to the Library
That will give you a great amount of information for moving ahead.
Cheers

[djrmusic]

Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate it!

Hey Dave,

I know how frustrating it can be!!!
I took me quite a long time before I got any forwards..it may have taken several hundred tries to get my first forward.....and I still get tracks rejected today.

I too submitted a track I did about 20 years ago that was forwarded back then for a TV commercial.... I just found it again and thought I would submit it again to this listing.....
The screener said the track and the sounds were dated!!!...go figure.... ha!!!

These tracks are for a HIGH END library.... that tells you the need to be GREAT...not just good.

There are problems with your tracks... first off and mainly...THEY DO NOT SOUND LIKE CURRENT TV COMMERCIALS...the overall vibe of the tracks is dated.
The string samples definitely sound dated..they sound like a string synthesizer from the 70's especially at :37 on the first track.... and at :21 on the second track.

Listen to the dropbox examples very closely.... I know they are all different..but listen how polished they sound... how much reverb they have...the sounds they are using.
You will notice..they are all PERFECT.
You have got to just keep trying to get better.

My 3.5 cents worth,
Tim

[djrmusic]

Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate it!

Hi there!! I feel you, it can be super frustrating. I am still learning myself but here are a couple of things I picked up being around here and listening:

Your tracks sound like they are getting there! Michael routinely says shortest intro possible or no intro. Your intro sounds a bit sad for a positive instrumental, even if it picks up after.

The strings in your tracks are written well but they sound kind of fake. What I like to do is cut back on some of the reverb, layer a solo string line (exact same line) along with the orchestral string line. It makes it sound so much more real.

And in general, I agree with the others about the midi-sound. Try to play out each part as if you are the player, even though you are using a controller.

Hope this helps

[cosmicdolphin]

I'm going to write my post without reading what the others said first.

Number 1 problem - You are using poor quality sounds..they remind me of the Yamaha keyboard I got from Radio Shack circa 1991 ( the PSS.790 ). You really need to invest in some high quality virtual instruments for this style of music

Number 2 problem - Mixing and production is just not up to par. This is partly because of problem 1 but even with those sounds you should be getting a better mix.

Musically it's better news, I think you are on the right lines although some of the playing does sound a little clunky at times and some finesse is required, this might mean some painstaking editing to get it to feel 100% right or brushing up those playing chops.

In summary then, ditch whatever you're using for your sounds and do some research into getting something better. Once you have them do some mixing tutorials and see if you can get your production more polished.

Mark

[djrmusic]

Mark,

Thanks for taking the time to listen. I really appreciate it.

I thought I was using some high quality sounds. I have Keyscape and Trillain for the keys and bass and Vienna for the strings and I have spent time learning how to use them. Guess I'm going to have to dig deeping.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Dave

I'm going to write my post without reading what the others said first.

Number 1 problem - You are using poor quality sounds..they remind me of the Yamaha keyboard I got from Radio Shack circa 1991 ( the PSS.790 ). You really need to invest in some high quality virtual instruments for this style of music

Number 2 problem - Mixing and production is just not up to par. This is partly because of problem 1 but even with those sounds you should be getting a better mix.

Musically it's better news, I think you are on the right lines although some of the playing does sound a little clunky at times and some finesse is required, this might mean some painstaking editing to get it to feel 100% right or brushing up those playing chops.

In summary then, ditch whatever you're using for your sounds and do some research into getting something better. Once you have them do some mixing tutorials and see if you can get your production more polished.

Mark

[MBantle]

I agree with Mark and sources of great contemporary sounds seem to be one of the secrets that even the most friendly people are rather unwilling to share From my experience standard quality products e.g. Kontakt Ultimate will certainly give you good 'basic' sounds but (without tweaking them) they will not instantly sound contemporary and it took me quite a while (and a lot of research) to finally find the right VSTs - what is 'right' is obviously genre dependent but e.g. Output.com, Producer's choice, moderproducers.com etc. offer VSTs & presets that sound contemporary. In other words, there are lots of good quality well known VSTs that sound great but that alone does not make them sound contemporary. So you either find good standard products and finesse them and use a lot of modern production techniques (I'm sure there are lots of Youtube tutorials for that) or you use 'boutique' VSTs that offer contemporary sounds/presets out of the box but be prepared that you need to spend some time doing research on these topics to get it right.
My five cents.
Cheers,
Matt